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Bible Reading: 2
Chronicles 30:13-20
13 And
there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in
Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and
cast them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then they killed the
Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the
priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves,
and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD. 16
And they stood in their place after their manner, according
to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the
blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17 For
there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified:
therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the
Passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them
unto the LORD. 18 For a multitude of the people, even
many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulon, had not
cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the Passover otherwise
than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The
good LORD pardon every one 19 That prepareth his heart to
seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed
according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20 And
the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
The great thing
needful in attendance upon God in solemn ordinances, is, that we
make heart-work of it; all is nothing without this. Where this
sincerity and fixedness of heart are, there may yet be many things
short of the purification of the sanctuary. These defects need
pardoning, healing grace; for omissions in duty are sins, as well
as omissions of duty.
If God should deal with us in strict justice, even as to the very
best of our doings, we should be undone. The way to obtain pardon,
is to seek it of God by prayer; it must be gotten by petition
through the blood of Christ. Yet every defect is sin, and needs
forgiveness; and should be matter to humble, but not to discourage
us, though nothing can make up for the want of a heart prepared to
seek the Lord.
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